If you fish tournaments long enough you will get into some crazy water that you under estimated until you are in the middle of it. The main thing is to remain calm and concentrate on driving to the best of your ability.

Let me throw this in for perspective.

I fished a BASS tournament out of Alexandria Bay on the St Lawrence / Lake Ontario back in 1986 when Hurricane Gloria hit New York State. It was bad but I wasn't scared.

I fished another BASS event the next year on Okeechobee and we had a storm front blow through with 40 - 50 mph gusts. It was bad but I wasn't scared.

I got caught downlake at Falcon a few years ago with sustained 30 mph north winds. It was BAD and I was SCARED!!!

I am 100% certain that had I been there for the Stren and knew that north wind was coming, I would have been fishing the Valeno or north.

we all knew it wass gunna be ruf and most guys didnt strap tms, put rods up or take graphs off? that bogles me

Probably the first time they had seen Falcon when it got really wrinkled.

Just to clear a few things up; if you weren't there don't even try to question how big those waves were. I was there and I was in it. I did not make it back to weigh in the first day. I came around the point of the tigres trying to make my way back up the lake. Each wave I hit made my boat go completely vertical(a couple times I thought the front end was gonna come completely over). The back end of my boat went completely under water a few times. Luckily I was smart enough to know my 20' Legend would not make it back, so I headed straight to a cove just north of the tigres(nearly rolling the boat completely over a couple times just to get over there while riding in the troughs). While I was seeking shelter in that cove I saw a motor rip completely off the back of a boat trying to make his way back up the lake. I do a lot of offshore fishing and have been in 10 to 12 footers. You cannot compare the ocean to the lake it is completely different. I didnt have time to measure the waves but if I had to guess I'd say they were atleast 8 footers(that was just at the Tigres, I dont know what they were at the dam). All I know is I was doing around 3600 rpm and barely moving forward. I do think they should have cancelled that day as they knew what was coming. Then again so did the anglers including myself. I just didnt think it could get that bad but it did. Luckily there was a boat ramp in the cove I pulled into. I walked 6 miles down a dirt road till a border patrol picked me up and gave me a ride to 83. Then the good folks from Falcon Tackle picked me up and gave me a ride to my truck at county ramp. Drove back to that ramp and loaded my boat.I aslo called the TD to see if I could trailor my fish back to weigh in and he said no I had to bring them back by water even with the conditions. Well I wasnt going to risk my life or my co-anglers for fish so I just threw them back. I know one thing I learned a big lesson on running down a big lake when knowing the wind is going to blow!

The waves where bad but not as bad as the pay outs! !!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm impressed with the payouts too............but not in a good way.

If you finish 11th you win $1500 this year.
Last year same finish would get you $3000.






Same entry fee, same expenses.
Not too good.

The waves where bad but not as bad as the pay outs! !!!!!!!!!!!!

The point is Don't argue about something you know nothing about.
If you are not a tourney fisherman you will never see them because you probably went back to bed when you heard the wind howling.

I'm impressed with the payouts too............but not in a good way.

If you finish 11th you win $1500 this year.
Last year same finish would get you $3000.

I was just looking at % paid out compared to entry fee's. I can see where the extra 50 entries with a 200 boat field would have been much better. Were they paying 50 places last year as well?






Same entry fee, same expenses.
Not too good.